Not an All-Meat Diet
It’s the stereotype everyone trying to live a Paleo lifestyle deals with: the idea that we eat nothing but steak and bunless burgers. No, this is not a meat-only diet, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of reasons to eat meat.
A Nutrient-Dense Food
Beef, in particular, is extremely high in B vitamins, zinc, phosphorous, and iron. It’s also the best source of carnitine and creatine, both compounds that are necessary for maintaining proper cell function by transporting fatty acids in the mitochondria.
The Fat Profile
Beef is pretty high in fat, but it’s mostly saturated and monounsaturated fats, which is good. These types of fats are pretty stable, which means they don’t oxidize when exposed to heat and light. Because consumption of oxidized fats tends to result in oxidized cholesterol in the blood, we generally prefer the more stable saturated and monounsaturated fats over their polyunsaturated sibling.
Grain-Fed v. Grass-Fed
We suggest choosing organic, grass-fed beef whenever possible, but if you can’t get it, it’s not worth losing sleep over. Mark Sisson has a pretty comprehensive list of the differences between grain-fed, grass-fed, and pastured beef.
